I'll Have to Say I Love You
by take5
Summary: My first Bill and Karen story! Not sure where its going yet, but hang with me! I don't think that I will need this high of a rating but just in case I'm feeling brave. Hey, I finished it!
1. Chapter 1

Bill was on the floor of CTU directing orders when his phone went off. Hoping it was Karen he picked up. As glad as he was to hear from Jack, Bill was disappointed that it wasn't he wife. He didn't like the way their conversation had ended just minutes before and he wanted nothing more than to hear her voice. It had been such a long day and it was only 12:00. The noise of computers, phones ringing, and people moving around was too much for Bill.

"Chloe," he said gently. "I'm heading up to my office. I need to take care of something right away. Get back to me when those pictures come in."

"No problem," was the short response.


	2. Chapter 2

Karen wasn't comfortable about her conversation with Bill ended. She didn't mean to be so cold but she didn't like how he responded to her news. Karen wanted him to be supportive and not second guess her. She wanted the man she fell in love with and married.

Thinking back to that day 20 months ago she could still remember what it felt like when he asked her to breakfast. Although she initially asked for a raincheck she was immediately called back into CTU when news of Jack's disappearance came in. After hours of work and interrogation it was revealed that the the Chinese had hold of him. Karen watched as Bill broke the news to Audrey, how gentle he was with her. It wasn't as if he was the Director of CTU but as a friend to both Jack and Audrey. As Audrey sobbed into Bill's embrace Karen's heart melted. It was the sweetest thing she had seen in the two days since entering CTU headquarters. At the same time Karen wished it was her in Bill's arms. The two had become so close and it upset Karen that she would have to say goodbye.

_Karen and Bill were walking out of CTU a full 48 hours later. As they neared Karen's car she turned and looked at him. He looked at her. They both started speaking at the same time. _

_"Karen," Bill started. "I know that you are probably exhausted, I am too. But I was wondering you wanted to join me for dinner tonight?" Karen couldn't stop herself from smiling. _

_"I would love to," she replied. This way she had time to go home and get some rest before having to get ready._

_"Great! I know this wonderful restaurant that sits right along the beach. Can I pick you up at 7:30?"_

_"I am looking foward to it," Karen said softly._

_"Me too. I'll see you tonight," Bill said before he opened her car door for her. As Karen pulled of out the parking lot she couldn't help but feel at ease. Bill made her feel special, like she was the only one he was thinking about. _

The sound of the elevator doors opening pulled Karen out of her thoughts.

"Ms. Hayes," said the guard. "The car waiting to take you to the airfield is here."

Karen cleared her throat and firmly thanked him. As she readied to enter the elevator, Karen took one look around the place that she had grown so accustomied to. She always thought that leaving behind her job would be hard for her. But today as she stepped into the elevator Karen felt nothing but relief. Relief that she would no longer have to deal with Tom Lennox and that she would finally be with the man that she loved more than she ever could have imagined.


	3. Chapter 3

Bill was in his office staring at a picture of Karen on his desk. He was not one to have many personal items in his office but this was his favourite picture. A black and white photo of her taken just days after their engagement. _She looks so alive and happy, _he thought. These past few months had not been easy on them, especially Karen who seemed worn down and tired. She definitely did not seem happy with their current situation. Bill regretted his earlier conversation with her. He did not want to come off as upset, he just felt caught off guard and when he tried to call her back she didn't answer her phone. Bill just wished he could tell her how much he loved her. He's always loved her ever since their first date.

_At exactly 7:30 there was a knock on Karen's door. She opened it to find an well-dressed Bill standing on the other side. _

_Hi," she said breathlessly, all of a sudden becoming nervous. Bill just looked at her unable to take his eyes off her. Her hair was let down and she was wearing a beautiful, black knee-length dress. _

_"You look beautiful," was all he managed to say. Karen blushed while grabbing her keys and practically whispering a 'thank you'. _

_Upon arriving at the restaurant they ordered drinks and sat at a table near the back that over looked the beach and the setting sun. _

_"This is beautiful Bill," Karen awed while looking out the window. _

_"I discovered this place when I first moved to L.A," he grinned. This intrigued Karen for she has just assumed he was a native of California._

_"I didn't know you weren't from around here," she smiled. "Where do you hail from Bill Buchanan?" When he told her that he was originally from Colerado Karen's smile grew even wider. _

_"I'm from Colerado, well Denver to be exact."_

_"Me too-born, raised, and graduated."_

_"Class of..?" Karen asked, excited that they had found a connection other than work._

_"1972...wow, I suddenly feel quite old," Bill laughed. He look at Karen patiently._

_"Class of 1974," she said lowering her head. "You're right, I suddenly feel old." The two laughed and carried on light conversation for the duration of dinner. They discovered that they shared much more than just a place of birth. The two loved to sail during the summer and during the winter headed home to enjoy the downhill slopes. After dinner Bill took Karen for a walk down the beach. He remembered how beautiful she looked, with one hand holding her shoes and the other constantly brushing her hair back from the breeze. This, he thought, is something I could definitely get used to._

Bill looked up at the sound of his office door opening to see Chloe's head pop in.

"The results are in. Morris has them downstairs." Bill thanked her and told her he would be down in a minute. He checked his phone once more to see if there was a message from Karen-there wasn't. With that he straightened his tied, pushed his memories aside, and headed out of his office. Bill only hoped he could keep Karen off his mind long off to analyze and make a decision regarding the current situation. Though he knew from past experience that when it came to his wife, trying not think about her was an impossible task.


	4. Chapter 4

Karen was seated in private government jet that was to take her to CTU as fast as possible. It was a beautiful aircraft that had large, lavish leather seats. But no matter how much she shifted, Karen could not get comfortable. Her conversation with Bill continued to play in her head. _Why didn't I pick up the phone, _she thought. Karen was angry. Angry at everything and everyone; Wayne Palmer for giving her a job that she couldn't refuse which resulted in her spending months away from home, Tom Lennox for using her weakest point to force her to resign in order to further his own agenda, Bill for not saying the things she wanted to hear, and most of all herself for not getting out earlier.

Karen missed Bill. She could blame it on the fact that they hadn't seen each other in months when the truth was even when they were home together-she missed him when he left the room. Their twenty month union was a whirlwind so far but she loved every minute of it. Karen could remember their first date like it was yesterday.

_They had finished dinner at this beautiful restaurant that overlooked the beach when Bill had suggested they take a walk. During dinner they discovered they were both originally from Colorado and loved to engage in the same activities. It relieved Karen that she shared things in common with Bill. She found herself falling from him and the fact that she could connect with him made her feel wonderful. As they walked down the beach they talked about more personal things such as family and past relationships._

"_I've never been married," Bill started. "My ex and I were never married. I knew that bothered her though she never would admit it. It wasn't that I didn't love her because I did. I just couldn't marry someone who didn't understand what I did for a living. And having to move from Denver to L.A caused an even bigger wedge. Of course, all of this was unsaid-a silent tension that ended up ruining our relationship. Over fifteen years we drifted apart and in the end it wasn't even love. It was a friendship that I still hold very dear." Bill stopped walking and looked at Karen. _

"_What happened," she asked softly._

"_She lives in Denver," Bill said with a smile. "With her husband." Karen let out a small laugh. The two realized that they had walked quite far. They turned and started walking back to the car. Bill waited patiently while Karen let out a deep sigh._

_  
I've never been married before either," she said. "But I was in a long relationship that lasted almost twenty years. We had the same problem- he didn't understand my job. The hours I had to work and the stress of it. Eventually he left for someone who had the energy and didn't have the career commitments. She was also sixteen years younger than us." _

_  
"I'm so sorry Karen," Bill said gently. Karen turned and smiled at him. _

"_I'm not. Like you said, in the end it wasn't a relationship. All we were doing was prolonging the inevitable." Bill reached for Karen's hand and held it tight. They continued to walk down the beach in silence just holding hands. _

Slight turbulence in the air woke Karen up. She glanced at her watch and realized that she would be landing soon. She remembered her dream and how that evening ended.

_Bill took her back home and walked her to the door. When they reached it Karen's nerves had taken over. She thanked him for the evening and he asked if he could call her. Karen nodded and before she could think another thought Bill was leaning closer. He placed a soft, gentle kiss on her cheek and whispered 'goodnight' before squeezing her hand one last time. He got into the elevator and smiled at her before the doors shut. When Karen got into bed that night she knew she was in love. Karen Hayes was in love with Bill Buchanan. _

"Ms. Hayes," the pilot came over the intercom. "We will be landing now. The car to take you to CTU is already here."

"Thank you," she said. Karen began to get her things together. She knew her day was far from over but with Bill there, holding her hand, they could get through anything.


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter is slightly short but I just wanted to add a quick flashback before I had B/K reunited. I also want to thank those who are reading this and leaving positive reviews, I really appreciate it! (I don't own any of the characters or the premise of the show)**

Bill had just received news of the fake house exploding. He had no idea where to go from here. Bill knew he had to get Jack and Milo back to CTU for a briefing before any decisions could be made. He was leaving Chloe's station and heading back up to his office when he felt her. Bill didn't have to see her of hear her voice to know that his wife was in the room. He slowly turned around and all he could do was stare at her. After two months of being apart she was just as beautiful as he remembered. Bill took a couple steps forward to take a closer look. Karen looked tired, upset, but most of all lost. Bill thought back to the only other time he had seen his love like this.

_Bill walked into Karen's home. The door was unlocked but the lights were off. He knew right away something was wrong. Bill and Karen had been together for almost six months and tonight they had plans to go a see Hamlet; it was Karen's favourite play. It was unlike her to not be running around frantically trying to get ready. He was cautious as he entered not wanting to disturb the silence. He heard a quiet sniffle and he turned to see Karen's outline sitting on the couch. _

"_Karen," he said gently. "Honey, why are you crying?" Bill sat down next to Karen and put one arm around her and brushed her hair back with the other. Bill had never seen her cry before and the sight of her in so much pain broke his heart. Karen, without even looking at him, took another sip of wine._

"_My brother-in-law called me. My sister died this morning," she practically whispered. Bill instinctively pulled Karen to him and wrapped her tight in his arms. Karen tucked her head under his while Bill rubbed her back slowly._

"_I'm so sorry! What happened," Bill asked before kissing her head._

"_It was a heart attack. They were all in the kitchen having breakfast and she just collapsed and….and that was it." A new wave of emotion came over Karen and she began to sob into Bill. The two sat like that for the rest of the evening. In the silence and the dark. _

_Eight hours later they were both on a plane heading to Denver for the funeral. During the entire week that they were back home Bill had never seen Karen in that light. She was broken and vulnerable and yet at the same time being surrounded by family gave her a sense of peace. It was the first time that they had met each other's family, and although their visit was not under the greatest circumstances, Bill and Karen found that they were both welcomed with open arms. _

_As they sat on a plane back to L.A Karen had returned to the woman she was when she first walked into CTU. She acted as if everything was okay. "Honestly Bill, I am fine. All I needed was a trip home," she would say. But Bill knew better and he would always remember that shattered look on his love's face._

Bill turned to a passing security guard and told him to quickly finish Karen's security check and send her up to his office. He couldn't wait to see her, speak to her, hold her but he didn't want to do it where everyone in CTU could watch. Bill dodged up the stairs to his office where he would wait, not so patiently, to see his wife for the first time in two months.


	6. Chapter 6

**I first just want say thank you so much to everyone who left supportive comments on the last chapter. I appreciate it so much and it really keeps me motivated. And because the show has given us Bill/Karen fans nothing to go on for the past couple of weeks I am prolonging their reunion for one more chapter, sorry! **

**I hope that you enjoy this chapter though. I took it in a little different direction. In my other chapters all the flashbacks are done in italics; however this chapter is all one flashback to their wedding day. In it I have a flashback and only that will be in italics. So it's like a flashback within a flashback. Confused yet? Lol, I am so sorry. Anyway I hope that enjoy it!**

The view was beautiful; a colourful garden lavishly stretched across the small cliff overlooking the ocean. The sun was strong but the cool breeze provided by the water made it the perfect day. The large hotel that the garden backed onto was quiet and there wasn't a soul in sight. Not that he expected anyone to be there seeing as it was almost three hours before the ceremony was to begin. Bill counted the number of chairs that had been set up just to make sure there were enough. In all honesty he was just trying to waste time. He sent his brothers to their scheduled golf game and came here instead. Bill was not interested in golfing on the same day he was to marry the woman he loves. Besides, Bill had other plans in mind. He figured that his years at CTU had taught him to be stealth enough to sneak into the bridal suite so they could have some time alone. Unfortunately he was not as discreet as Jack Bauer and ended up getting caught by his future mother-in-law. She stared him down and then exiled him from the hotel. Now he was wandering the garden and the patio where tables were being set up. Bill glanced at his watch and decided to go get ready but first he decided to call his mother-in-law and ask for permission to enter the hotel.

_Well, I know it's kinda late  
__I hope I didn't wake you  
__But what I gotta say can't wait,  
__I know you'd understand_

Karen was sitting at the vanity in the bridal suite when she heard a thump come from the hallway. She crossed the room and slightly opened her door to see her mother staring at someone. Karen couldn't see the figure that had to face her mother until she heard Bill's voice uttering some pathetic excuse about needing to ask her a Homeland Security question. She couldn't help but smile at his attempts to see her. The truth was she needed him just as much. The past couple of months had been hard for her.

After their return from Colorado things had changed. Karen began to think more about life and she couldn't help but feel that she had spent hers focusing entirely on her career. Karen loved her job but after nearly 30 years she realized that she had hardly stopped to enjoy the blissful moments in life. Beth had been wonderful in recognizing those moments particularly when it came to her kids. Beth. The two had been very close to one another and her death weighed heavy on Karen. She was moving on but slowly. She was thankful for Bill and his loving support. Bill. He brought many of those blissful moments. She could barely remember life before Bill all she knew for sure was that he changed her for the better. She enjoyed coming home from work at the end of the day especially now that there was someone to go home to. They had become much closer after Beth died. Things Karen normally talked to and did with her sister Bill now had to do; feelings, menopause, chick flicks, and shopping. Karen would watch Bill as she talked and, despite his best efforts to understand, he always ended up looking confused. When she finished talking he would kiss her softly and tell her how much he loved her. It was in those moments Karen knew she was right where she belonged.

_Every time I tried to tell you  
__The words just came out wrong  
__So I'll have to say I love you in a song_

Bill stood nervously at the altar and watched as people started to arrive. Neither wanted a large wedding and decided on keeping it small. It was hard for Bill to believe that he and Karen had only been together just over a year. It felt like had spent their entire lives together. He thought back to the night they got engaged.

_They were sitting at the same restaurant they had gone on their first date. After ordering a bottle of wine Bill grabbed for Karen's hand and brought it to his lips. _

"_Do you want to get married?" Karen blurted out. He looked at her and she looked as surprised to say it as he did to hear it. Bill still had hold of her hand and waited to see if she said anything else. When she didn't, he blinked a few times and dropped her hand. An immediate look of regret crossed her face as Bill reached into his pocket to reveal a small, blue box and looked up at her._

"_You had to beat me to it, didn't you?" he asked with a small smile. He opened it and gently pushed it across the table. Karen, tearing up immediately, could only nod her acceptance. Bill got up and went around to where Karen was sitting. He took the ring out of the box and put it on her finger._

"_I love you," he said in between kisses. _

"_I love you," she practically whispered through her tears and the rest of the night was spent in celebration. The next morning Karen tried to get ready for work, tried being the key word. Every time she put on an article of clothing Bill ended up taking it off. It ended with the two of them staying in bed for the rest of the day. _

_Yeah, I know it's kinda strange  
__Every time I'm near you  
__I just run out of things to say  
__I know you'd understand_

Karen was now standing at the altar with Bill. Their eyes were locked on each other, neither of them really listening to the vows they were to soon repeat. They didn't know what their future held for them but what they did know was that their love could carry them through anything.

_Every time I try to tell you  
__The words just came out wrong  
__So I'll have to say I love you in a song_


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm so sorry it took me so long to update! Now that school is almost finished I can concentrate more on this. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and I hope you enjoy!**

She was in his arms before he even realized she was in the room. He kicked the door shut with his foot and listen for the click to tell him it was locked. Not that it did any good as the walls were glass and any passing agent could see what was going on. It was because of those glass walls that Bill had to keep his hands in appropriate places. He tightened his grip on Karen and buried his face in her hair. It amazed him, that after months of not being together how familiar she felt. He wanted to tell her how much he missed her, loved her, how empty the house, and his life, was without her but every time he went to speak he couldn't. He was too tired and overwhelmed with emotions but he knew one thing for sure he hadn't been this happy in months. Karen let out a small sigh and it brought a smile to his face. Up until moments ago Bill would have killed to hear that sigh. He moved his head so his lips brushed against her ear.

"I love you," he whispered while running his hands over her back. Although not wanting to break the close contact she had with her husband, Karen pulled back to look at Bill.

"I love you too." She paused before adding "I don't ever want to be separated like that again."

Her voice quivered and the tears in her eyes broke his heart. Bill nodded as he rested his forehead against hers. Karen pushed herself up and lightly rubbed her nose with Bill's. He released her from his arms and took her face in his hands and gently brushed her face with his thumbs. The tender contact brought a new wave of emotion over Karen and she closed her eyes and slowly reopened them. He quickly glanced outside to see if they were being watched. Much to his relief there wasn't an agent in sight. He redirected his attention to his wife. _His_ wife. They were nearing their one year anniversary and it still amazed him that she was his. The head-strong, independent Karen Hayes from Homeland Security was also the same woman who cried while reading a romance novel, had a notorious shopping addiction, hummed in the shower, and fell asleep watching the news every night.

Bill closed the gap between them and lowered his lips on to Karen's. It was a soft, gentle kiss that warmed his entire body. He had forgotten what it was like to feel and taste her. Karen opened her mouth slightly to let Bill further in. One kiss led to another and they became less sweet and more frantic. The office was silent except for the ragged breathing but it was her moan that pulled Bill back to reality. He lightly broke contact between them and rubbed his thumb over her slightly red lips. Bill had to laugh at the bewildered look on Karen's face. He nodded in direction of the clear walls.

"We wouldn't want to get caught like this, would we?" Karen faced Bill and smiled. It was the first time he had seen her smile in months and the sight of her beaming made his heart leap. He put his arm around her and led her to the couch on the other side of his office. He sat down next to her and pulled her legs onto and over his lap. Karen ran her fingers through Bill's hair while he rubbed her legs. She sighed and laid her head on the back of the couch and looked him square in the eye. He noticed for the first time how tired she looked.

"How was your flight?"

"I don't really remember. I was too focused on getting here to you." Karen paused before softly adding "I'm sorry about our conversation earlier. I shouldn't have hung up on you and I should have answered when you tried calling back." She lowered her head to stare at her hangs while playing with her wedding ring. "All of this distance and stress and long days-its starting to get to me." Her mouth started to quiver again.

"I don't like it." She stated as the tears began to pour out. "I don't like living in a hotel. I don't like working 24 hour shifts. I don't like that our conversations are purely business. And I certainly don't like being away from you!" Karen let out a small sob as Bill grabbed her and pulled her close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder as he held her hand and laced their fingers together while her tears subsided.

"Oh. And I don't like Tom Lennox." Bill let out a laugh before placing several kisses on her head.

"I don't like it either," he added. "But sweetheart, you _love _your job. You have worked so hard for so many years and I don't want to walk away from all of that. This country needs people like you in the positions you're in." He hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. "Honey, did something happen there to make you want to leave?"

Karen lifted her head and looked at Bill. She shook her head but Bill saw the slight unease that crossed her face and knew better. But when he looked at her, he saw that she was exhausted and emotionally worn. Bill decided that giving her a few minutes to recompose might enable her to open up to him.

"I should probably go make sure that all hell hasn't broken loose downstairs. I'll grab some coffee while I'm down there. Just sit here and relax, ok? Don't move I'll be right back." Bill stood and grabbed the blanket that was neatly folded beside the couch and laid it across Karen. She looked up at him gratefully and he leaned over to give her a quick kiss. As he headed down to the floor he prayed that Karen would tell him what exactly happened back in Washington. He swore that if anyone had hurt or threatened her in anyway they were a dead man.


	8. Chapter 8

**I understand that this chapter is not that long so I have posted a second to make up for it. I've never done two chapters in one posting-nice change of pace. They may be a _little sappy, _sorry lol! Thank you for the reviews!**

After Bill left his office Karen took a deep breath and glanced around the room. It was cold and dark with little furniture in it. She never understood how Bill could work in there; it was so different from their home which was painted in warm colours and filled with pictures and books. Just thinking of home brought a new wave of sentiment over Karen.

A couple weeks after their engagement both her and Bill decided to part ways with their 'single' homes and buy one together. It didn't take long for them to find the perfect house. It was quaint with three bedrooms and a long porch that wrapped around the house. Karen instantly knew that it was their home but it was the backyard that sealed the deal. It was a beautiful garden that was graced with the most amazing view of the ocean. Four weeks later they were moving in. Karen missed home almost as much as she missed Bill. Karen missed her living room where she and Bill would curl up in front of a fire, her kitchen where she would sit while Bill made dinner and teased her for her lack of culinary skills, and she definitely missed her bedroom where they would spend endless nights in each other's arms.

Karen got off the couch and walked over to Bill's desk. She ran her finger along the edge before sitting down in the large, leather chair. It was definitely a power chair where important decisions were made everyday concerning the safety of millions Americans. She knew that her husband took his job and its responsibilities very seriously and that he would never intentionally jeopardize the lives of innocent people. Bill knew that Fayed was guilty and it broke him to let him go free. But a year ago Fayed was not a prisoner and there was no legal reason to hold him as one. As much as Bill wanted to retain Fayed he was not willing to break federal law to do so. The two had discussed the options for hours before deciding that releasing him was the only thing to do. Both knew that Fayed would not disappear for good but never in a million years did Karen think that it would be a colleague who used it against her. Battling Tom Lennox and resigning had been easy compared to what was next-telling Bill. Karen had no idea how to explain what had happened. She knew he was upset because she left her job and that he would be even more upset when he found out it was because of something he did. Sighing, Karen placed her head on the desk in frustration.

The knock on the door several seconds later prompted her to raise her head.

"Come in," she called, assuming it wasn't Bill. The door opened slightly and in popped Chloe's head.

"I'm sorry to bother you Mrs. Buch-I mean Miss Hay-" she stopped shortly. "Mr. Buchanan just wanted me to let you know the he will be a few minutes longer. If there is anything you need just to let me know." She turned to exit but Karen stood and made her way around the desk.

"Did something happen," Karen asked. Her face looked so concerned it startled Chloe.

"No not all. A few of our field agents returned and he wanted a quick word with them. He should be back shortly."

"Oh," was the soft reply but Karen still wore a look of worry. Chloe waited a few seconds before turning to leave. Her exit was yet again interrupted. "How is Morris?"

"Huh?"

"Morris-I heard that he was injured. How is he feeling?"

"He's fine, I guess," said Chloe looking at her feet. Karen ran her hand through her hair before looking at Chloe and smiling.

"Well, we don't want him to over do it. So if he needs to take some time to rest I would be more than happy to jump in and help out wherever I can." Chloe looked up to meet Karen's gaze and saw the sincerity in her voice.

"Thank you Miss..Mrs..-thanks." As Chloe turned to leave the office Karen called out one last time. When Chloe turned around she met Karen's smile. "Let's forget the formalities. Its Karen." Chloe smiled back before leaving to head back downstairs. Karen walked backed to the couch and sat down with a sigh. In her head she began rehearsing how she was going to tell Bill about her resignation.


	9. Chapter 9

**A couple days ago I realized that Jack doesn't know that Bill and Karen are married. Hence the chapter below—enjoy!!**

Bill was sitting in the conference room when Jack walked. He immediately stood to greet him. The two left the room and began walking to the staff room. "Jack, how is the situation out by the pier?"

"We managed to land the missile without crashing and exploding so that's a good sign. The fire department is out there right now checking for any signs of potential danger."

"That's good to hear. Were you briefed on everything that has happened in Washington?"

"Yeah, I was told about everything on my way over. Have we heard anything about President Logan?"

Bill stopped walking and looked at Jack. "No, we haven't had any updates regarding his condition. The last we heard he was on his way to the hospital and was in critical condition."

As they reached the staff room Jack headed to the fridge while Bill began to fill a kettle with water. "Do you want anything?"

Jack shook his head and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. As he sat down he noticed Bill had two cups. In one cup he poured in a pouch of instant coffee. It wasn't as good as real the stuff, but in a place like CTU who had the time to make a fresh pot? In the other he placed a tea bag and waited for the water to finish boiling. Bill took the opportunity to talk to Jack about Audrey. He walked over and sat across from him.

"Jack I just want to apologize again for not telling you about Audrey." He had expected Jack to look away but he continued to stare right at him. "It was an uncomfortable situation and I wasn't sure what to do. I'm sorry. After we get through today maybe I can tell you in more detail what happened." Jack, overcome with emotion, nodded and whispered 'thanks'. The sound of the kettle ended the moment and Bill got up to pour the water.

"Mr. Buchanan," a security agent standing in the doorway. "Here is Karen Hayes' briefcase and some of her files. Sorry it took so long to go through security check, we got sidetracked by other things."

"I will take them to her. Thank you." With that the security agent left leaving behind the belongings. At the mention of Karen Hayes's name Jack looked at the second cup and then up at Bill.

"What is Karen Hayes doing here?" Jack was short in his question. His first impression of Karen 20 months ago was not that great but in the end she came through for not just CTU but also Jack. When Bill picked him up at the airfield early that morning he'd just assumed that things had gone back to normal. Bill was the still in charge at CTU and that Karen would have gone back to Homeland Security.

The fact that Karen was his wife completely missed Bill. He had forgotten that Jack was still in the dark about some things that had happened in the past year and a half. Bill just assumed that Jack had figured it out. "She was the National Security Advisor to President Palmer. She resigned early this afternoon for reasons I am still unaware of. With all that's going on over there it could be a number of things. I better get this to her, she's upstairs waiting in my office."

Jack helped Bill gather everything and walked with him to his office. _Karen Hayes, _he thought. Jack was anxious to see her especially since she helped save his life several times during her time at CTU. But he was still left wondering why she would come back here after resigning from her job. He could only hope it wasn't because she had plans to take CTU back.

Karen was still sitting on the couch when Bill and Jack walked in. She turned around ready to tell Bill the whole truth.

"Honey, there's something I have to tell-" she stopped short when she saw Jack standing there, looking as confused as a counter-terrorist agent could possibly look. Jack looked slowly from Karen to Bill and back to Karen. Bill placed Karen's briefcase down on the table and handed her the tea he was holding in his hand.

"Jack when you were being briefed, did they fill you on the fact that I got married?" The look on Jack's face told him no. "I believe you've met my wife Karen Hayes."

"Its good to see you alive and well Jack," she smiled. Jack's eyes widened and he kept looking back between Bill and Karen. Finally he sat down and said "Ok…fill me in."


	10. Chapter 10

**Longest chapter of my life, lol. I don't know how good this is. I'm not really used to writing scenes like this. No worries though, I am totally on the Bill/Karen bandwagon!**

The room was silent as Jack looked between Bill and Karen. Shaking his head he sighed wordlessly and sat back in the chair. Karen gave Bill a nervous glance and bit her lower lip. He placed a reassuring hand on her knee before turning to Jack. "And that's how it happened," he said.

"All this happened because of a breakfast invitation?" He asked incredulously. Bill grinned and laughed. "Yeah, it did." Jack studied Bill's face and despite everything that had happened in the past couple of hours he seemed happy. Happier than he was that morning when he picked up at the air field. Jack guessed that had something to do with the fact that Karen was in L.A and no longer in Washington.

"Well I'm happy for you," he finally smiled, quickly adding "For both of you." Bill and Karen thanked him before being interrupted by a knock at the door. Chloe popped her head in after Bill motioned her in.

"Sorry to interrupt but we have a lead on where we can find Gredenko." Bill thanked her before she exited. He stood and walked over to his desk.

"We've had so many possibly leads on this man in the past day and all of them had led to nothing. We can't afford to risk anymore time."

"Bill, why don't I go and see what they've got downstairs? If it looks solid I'll let you know. Besides I would like to re-familiarize myself with the system and check in with everyone." Bill looked over to Karen and remembered their earlier conversation. He wanted to talk about it before too much time passed and it was forgotten. He knew that his focus should be work but after 20 months of work coming first it was Karen's time to be his number one priority.

"That would help a lot, thank you" Jack nodded and got up to head to the main floor. Bill walked over to the couch and sat down. He immediately reached out for Karen's hand and held it in his own as he rubbed the back of it with his thumb.

"When I came in you said you wanted to tell me something." He shifted closer to her and Karen leaned her body into his. "What was it that you wanted to say?" Karen knew the moment had come when she would have to tell Bill the truth yet as she looked into his eyes she panicked. And there was only one distraction she could think of.

Slowly she snaked her arms around his neck and stretched her body against his. Their faces were inches a part as she whispered in his ear. "I was thinking of not talking at all." Karen began to place soft kisses along his jaw line. Bill closed his eyes and revelled in her touch but was quickly pulled back to reality. _She isn't getting away with this, _he thought. Bill gently untangled himself from Karen and looked her directly in the eye. They both knew what was going on and yet it scared Bill as to what his wife might be hiding.

Karen looked up at Bill and bit her lower lip. She let out a huge sigh and rubbed her forehead. "Do you remember a year ago when we had Fayed in custody and we let him go?"

Bill blinked a few times. "_Had _Karen. We _had _to let him go."

"Right," Karen said immediately. "I know." She got off the couch and began to pace the room. "I don't know how to say this, especially to you. Tom Lennox is the reason I left Washington. He is the reason I resigned. Tom knew that with me there he would never get Palmer to sign off on his proposal. He needed me gone in order to push his own agenda."

Karen never took her eyes of Bill as she talked. He was still sitting on the couch and while his facial expression didn't change she noticed the flash of anger in his eyes at the mere mention of Tom's name. "He approached me earlier this afternoon with documents of CTU's release of Fayed—signed by you. Then he went on to say that I covered it up at Homeland Security and proceeded to give me a list of people who were willing to testify."

Thinking back to that moment made Karen angry. She defiantly turned to Bill but his expression made her stop. He looked angry, _very _angry. "So let me get this straight. Tom Lennox came across a piece of legal and valid information and you backed down?"

Karen was startled by his tone and anger towards her. She never thought that he would be upset with her, after all what had she done? But after months of being away, the current crisis, and hours battling Tom Lennox, Karen was just as angry.

"What?" She bit back. Bill looked up from the couch and saw the fury in her eyes and knew they were in for a fight. He got off the couch and began to walk the room.

"I can't believe this," he said shaking his head. He looked up Karen with anger and hurt. "I can't believe you didn't back me up and instead you gave in." Karen took a step back.

"I did defend you!"

"No you didn't. If you really believed in my decision regarding Fayed, if you really believed it was the right thing to do you would have challenged Tom Lennox and you would never have left Washington! You let him win!"

"Bill, he had a list of people willing to testify against you! Against me!"

"Karen my decision to let Fayed go was supported by reason and the law! Any court would have seen that, apparently my wife can't!" He spat.

"I understand that it was the right thing to do! But an investigation would have to have been launched, removing both of us from our positions in order to do a proper search. It would last for months if not years and despite the fact that a verdict would have come back in our favour that is still a very career-damaging trial!"

At this point they were both yelling so loud they barely heard the knock on the door. Jack opened the door slowly cautious of interrupting the feuding couple.

"Bill, I just wanted to let you know that the lead is very solid. We are just putting a team together now."

"Thanks Jack. I'll be down in a minute to take a look at the plans." With that Jack left the office closing the door behind him.

Bill turned to look at Karen staring at him with both hands on her hips. "We'll have to finish this later," he said, adding firmly "When I get home."

Karen raised her eyebrow. "I'm not going home, Bill. You're already short-staffed as it is and I can be of use here."

"Fine, go talk to Milo or Nadia and see where they need you. I'm going to go check on Jack." Karen left the office in a huff and Bill sat down at his desk. As the office door slammed shut he looked at the cup of tea sitting on the table. He thought back to earlier when the two had been reunited. _Not even together an hour and they were already fighting, _he thought. _That can't be good._


	11. Chapter 11

It had been hours since their last moment in his office. Since then Gredenko had been caught through an exchange of information, who then led them to Fayed. Fayed had been capture, a struggle had ensued but Jack was successful in tracking him down. He killed Fayed and other henchmen and acquired the two remaining nukes. Now they were dealing with this mess with Audrey still being alive, held hostage, and Jack who went looking for her.

Mike Doyle was entering CTU looking furious. Bill had to send a team to pick him up off the side of the highway where Jack left him. Bill heard a slight snicker behind him and he turned to see Milo, Nadia, Chloe, and Morris standing there with amused looks on their faces. They didn't like Doyle and took small pleasure in seeing him so frustrated at Jack for abandoning him in the middle of nowhere. He'd taken note of Doyle's unpopularity and that he would have to take care of that as soon as the latest crisis was over. The look he gave them made them quickly disperse back to their stations, Chloe rejoining Karen. Because Chloe had breached security and given off-limits information to Jack he had no choice but to have her stand-down. But her intellect and skill was too great to deny so Bill decided to have her work with Karen so she could watch her carefully.

He and Karen hadn't spoken to each other since heading downstairs. All the orders he wanted to go to the team he did through Nadia or Milo. All the questions she had she made Chloe ask. They both knew it was ridiculous but neither could bring themselves to face each other. Bill felt horrible for the accusations he had made against Karen. He _knew _they weren't true and that she supported and believed in his decision. Bill also knew that Karen was already upset about the situation and that picking a fight with her was not going to win him the Husband of the Year Award. As soon as he discovered that Tom Lennox used something _Bill _had done in order to hurt Karen he wanted to kill him. Unfortunately he took it out on the person who deserved it the least. He looked over to where Karen and Chloe were sitting. Chloe looked annoyed that she was being babysat and Karen just looked distraught. A stab of guilt hit Bill because this time it wasn't the distance or the terrorism that put the pain there, it was his actions.

Karen looked up from Chloe's station to see Bill looking at her. His face was unreadable and she couldn't tell whether or not he was still angry. She looked away and went back to supervising Chloe. At first Karen was angry right back at him but now she was just beside herself. She couldn't stand it when he was angry. Bill was the type of person who already lived deep inside his head and when he was angry or pensive he just retreated even deeper. When Karen had walked away from Tom and her job it wasn't because she didn't believe in Bill's decisions or competence when it came to his job. She trusted him wholeheartedly. She missed Bill and she _wanted _to go home. When Tom first approached her, Karen was furious he would even insinuate that either one of them had been unprofessional in any manner. But the more he pushed the idea of her resigning the better it sounded. Karen supposed that the blackmailing was, in some way, a plausible excuse for leaving Washington. She no longer wanted to be there but would never leave willingly or without some force driving her out. Tom provided that force and gave her a reason to go without it looking like she was giving up. Here she was; back in L.A but not at home and near her husband but not _with _him. As she sat next to Chloe listening to her mumble about her looking over her shoulder, Karen couldn't help but think _"This sucks."_

"Karen, Chloe. President Palmer is about to address the nation. Are you coming," asked Morris. Chloe, eager to not having someone hanging over her, jumped up immediately. Karen moved slowly and made her way over to where agents were beginning to crowd. She stood close to the front mainly to avoid Bill. Though he was several feet behind her she could feel him watching her but still keeping his distance.

President Palmer suddenly arrived on the screen and instantly the voices that filled CTU were gone. In the corner of the screen Karen could see Tom and that little henchman of his. She rolled her eyes in disgust and focused on Palmer. He was looking good but something was off. After months of working such long hours in a demanding field the two had become friends and Karen had learned to pick up on normal Palmer behaviour. She was worried that with her gone no one would notice the little things that counted most. Like that fact that he was repeating himself. _Wait-what? _In what seemed like two seconds the President collapsed and was no longer in view on the screen. Karen saw Tom rush over to where Palmer was stretched across the floor. Instantly the programming was interrupted and cut to a commercial. CTU was frozen- no one moving and no one speaking in fear of disturbing the silence. Karen involuntarily shuddered at the possibilities of what could be happening in Washington at that exact moment and she feared for her friend's life. She hoped that no one had noticed her falter when suddenly she felt him standing directly behind her. His hand gently slipped into hers and she squeezed it with force she didn't even know she had. Bill placed his hand on her back and starting leading her away. He firmly gave out orders to find out what was happening and to get back to work as he quietly led his wife up to his office.


	12. Chapter 12

**HERE IT IS! THE LAST CHAPTER!! I know this may seem rushed but I wanted to end it for two reasons. 1) I don't actually know how the show is going to end (or do I…) anyway so there is very little detail about the actual show. 2) I have another story I want to get started on. **

**So I hope that you enjoy this chapter and if you do please check out my next due to be posted some time in the next couple of days. And if you are a BK fan check out the new forum dedicated to them admin. by Huddyalways!! Finally, thank you to everyone who read and reviewed my story. It really meant a lot to me!!**

Bill ushered Karen into his office and gently shut the door. He took the blanket from earlier and placed it across her shoulders and sat her on the couch. She hadn't said a word the entire way up. He sat down and wrapped both his arms around her. Karen turned in his arms and looked up at him. Her eyes were filled with tears and she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Bill hushed her in hopes of reassuring her that she needn't speak, he knew how she was feeling. He kissed her forehead and tucked her head underneath his chin. The two sat like that for what felt like hours but was in fact only minutes before Bill finally spoke.

"Karen, I'm sorry. For everything. I'm sorry that Wayne is sick. I know that you two became close while working on his campaign. And I am very grateful to him for that. It made me feel better knowing you weren't so alone out there. He's a great man and he has a lot of people fighting for him. I'm sure that he will pull through and be running the country in no time." He paused briefly "I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier. It wasn't right and you didn't deserve it. I apologize." He said quietly while rubbing his hand up and down her arm. Though Bill couldn't see it Karen gave a small smile at his apology. He could never stay mad for very long. She unwrapped herself from Bill's arms and sat mere inches away from his face.

"I'm sorry too," she whispered. "By resigning I wasn't intending for it to be an insult to you. I know how well you do your job and I have one hundred percent faith in you. I just wanted to come home." Bill grinned and lifted his hand to her face. He brushed her cheek and pushed her hair back.

"Have I told you how happy you have made me?" Karen blushed and a few stray tears fell. Bill caught them and held her face in his hands. "I'm serious," he smiled quietly. Karen looked at him and let out small sob with an _I love you_. Bill closed the gap between and gently placed a kiss on her lips. It was soft and sweet but filled with love and passion. Karen's cell phone rang ruining the moment. Bill cursed whoever it was while Karen answered. Bill watched Karen as her face tensed and then relaxed. She let out a sigh and thanked whoever it was before hanging up.

"That was Tom Lennox," she said. "The President is going to be ok. They're transporting him to an actual hospital right now. He just thought I'd want to know."

"Well that's very thoughtful of him," Bill said with slight disdain. Karen bit back a smile and nodded. She moved closer to Bill and placed both hands on his shoulders.

"Let's go find back down and help find Jack." Bill raised an eyebrow as she continued. "Because I really want to go home and you won't leave until we find him and make sure he's alright." When Bill opened his mouth to speak she placed one finger over his lips. "I'm not going home without you." Bill grabbed her hand and the two walked back down to the main floor like that. He could see people quickly glancing at their public display of affection but he didn't care, not anymore. He squeezed her hand before leaving her with Chloe and heading off to see if there were any updates.

It was nearing 7:00 in the morning before everyone was ready to go. It only took several more hours for CTU to square away the latest crisis. Jack was successful in destroying the chip before the Chinese could get it. The terrorists at the scene were apprehended and waiting in custody. Audrey was currently in the medical unit undergoing tests. They were unsure whether it was severe brain damage or just psychological trauma but one thing Jack knew for sure was that Audrey was sick. He had been sitting next to her bed for close to an hour watching her sleep when Bill walked in. He knocked gently not waiting to wake her. Jack looked up and motioned him in. Bill sat on the other side of Audrey and looked at Jack.

"She'll be okay Jack. Audrey's a fighter." Jack gave a small smile and nodded. Bill continued. "We contacted her father and he is going to take the first flight out tomorrow. What are you going to do Jack?"

Jack looked at Bill before turning his attention back to Audrey. "I'm going to stay with Kim. We have a lot of catching up to do. We need to spend some time together and work things out."

"Can we still expect to see you around CTU?"

Jack let out a sigh. "I don't know." He turned and looked at Bill directly. "Can I have some time to think about things?"

"Take all the time you need," was the quiet reply. "Well I will let you get some rest. Keep us posted on Audrey's condition and if you need anything don't hesitate to call." Jack stood with Bill and walked him to the door and shook his hand.

"I will do that Bill. Thanks, for everything." Bill smiled and left leaving Jack and Audrey alone again. Jack walked over and sat next to her bed where he would spend the next several hours waiting. But he'd sworn that when he got her back he would wait forever and that was exactly what he planned on doing.

Bill headed up to his office and saw that Karen had rearranged his office so they could go straight home. She looked up and smiled when he entered. Bill put on his jacket and picked up hers. She walked over to where he was standing and he put her coat on for her.

"Ready Ms. Hayes?" He asked jokingly.

"Hey. That's Mrs. Buchanan to you," she said turning around smiling. He gave her a quick kiss and turned the lights off on another day and another crisis. The two walked out of CTU hand in hand and headed home.

**THE END**


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